Beginner Programming: Custom UI Question - Windows Mobile Software Development

I'm preparing to start a little side project, I have only very basic programming experience so I think I'm going to go with Visual Basic for the application.
What I'm having trouble with learning, is where to go to implement a custom UI if I'm not satisifed with the standard .net controls.
For example, how would I create a custom button control with my own images?
I'm struggling to find any windows mobile development tutorials around UI. Any ideas where to start looking and learning from?

I found a few links that should be useful after all:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd630622.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa446518.aspx#imagebutton_topic3
http://expression.microsoft.com/en-us/dd279543.aspx
Still open suggestions or tips for a beginner though if you have any, thanks!

Don't use VB, use C#
Most examples snippets in open source I use are in c#. VB is just as good but ..
Search for UI in the WiMo forum. I opened some topics about UI also and with some answers I submitted there are some links in this forum for you to use.
Search for Sense SDK, fluid for a free UI or use controls from beemobile, resco, or myrabyte.

ajhvdb said:
Don't use VB, use C#
Most examples snippets in open source I use are in c#. VB is just as good but ..
Search for UI in the WiMo forum. I opened some topics about UI also and with some answers I submitted there are some links in this forum for you to use.
Search for Sense SDK, fluid for a free UI or use controls from beemobile, resco, or myrabyte.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for those tips. I've seen fluid and the Sense SDK in my searches, I'll be sure to give those a go. As it's just a small hobby, I probably won't go with the beemobile, resco route, but thank you for the suggestion.
I keep debating about diving into C# rather than VB, I'm just not sure I can devote the time to get anywhere with it. It seems a bit more complex to understand. VB is already fairly familiar with me and easy enough to learn more about. I also heard that we'll be able to use VB at some point for WP7S development, so that I wouldn't lose any knowledge learned here if I wanted to give WP7S a shot. At the moment WP7S development is C# only however....maybe another reason for me to change my mind...

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Android application developer Guides (for Dummies!)

Hi all,
I created this thread to collect informations, suggestions and links for who want to start learning developing android applications, whitout being an expert developer.
I like programming (vb6, vb.net ) but I don't know anything about android and linux, and just a little about java... Now I bought an Hero and I met android world... I downladed Eclipse IDE, Android SDK and I starded with dev guide on SDK... I just take a look to helloandorid application... it works! and now? In the xml layout seems easy to add View like buttons or text... but how can I handle to the user actions like the button click? in vb is simple to manage the buttonpressed event...!
If someone knows some simple guides about java, eclipse and android, please let links on this thread!
Thank you!
This one's awesome for learning how to create widgets:
http://nm-blog.sanid.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/android_howto-hellowidget.pdf
here are some other resources you could easily find by using google search:
http://www.helloandroid.com/tutorials
http://nexsoftware.net/wp/2009/07/29/tutorial-creating-a-custom-analogclock-widget/
http://www.anddev.org/index.php
Other than that, just start from the simplest Hello World -examples on Google's own Android site.
I'm going to start leurning Android programming
If ill find nice links i will post them here. Is there btw a way to program inside visual studio? Cuz all tutorials on the net are using eclipse.
You'll need to use Eclipse to my knowledge as its all Java based. The other alternatives are the IntelliJ plugin and doing it all from Command line/Text Editor.
Back to the Topic, I'm just trying my hand at a little Android development this week too, the tutorials and manuals at developer.android.com have been great!
Another thing, while I remember, if you've done any sort of .NET/ASP.NET development before you should find it a breeze, apart from the lack of Visual Studio (best IDE that ever was), they're VERY similar compared to some other languages/technologies I've used.
HeY Furios, Im new to android dev also, so if you don't mind, I would like to follow you and share any info I find with you and to whom ever else would like any info...Thanx
SDK 2.1
Hi Guys,
I went onto the SE developer site and got he x10 SDK, but it only gives me the choice for a 1.6 virtual Machine. Is there another place that I have to go to get the SDK for 2.1?
Thanks.
It would be cool to learn how to develop roms as well...or is that much deeper?
Well guy's start here on this thread first >>>http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=667298
Made me think
need minor help!
im actually developing a few games, but im running into some seemingly basic issues, that i seem i cannot get to work. basically a button mash game, single/multi player, well on multi player i cannot for my life get the multi player functions to work, as in in the end the game already knows who the winner is based on an integer score, then it is supposed to use an sqlite database to take the highest scored player such as P1 or P2 and allow them to input there name to be permanently displayed. it cannot seem to differentiate using IF statements, but the feature does work with single player flawlessly, i may link source code if asked, TY

best source for learning to develope applications for windows?

First off I would like to say thank you for the developers on this website that make my phone better than ever. I would love to contribute in the same way but I lack the skills I need.
Long story short, what is the best way to learn development for wm from scratch? Are there online courses I could take? I would love some in depth training on this! Any help is greatly appreciated
Don't expect that you learn all this stuff with the waving of a magic wand, or a site that hands it all out on a plate. It is going to be a long hard slog to get any good at this......
Having said that, download the Microsoft Windows Mobile SDK for the version you want to target. Then have a look in the SAMPLES directory that gets installed with it. It will be in the \Program Files\ directory for the SDK version above. It contains several examples for C++, C#, and VB, and the C++ sampes are also WIN32 , ATL and MFC. They are also superb examples of "how to do it" code. Looking at them, and trying to understand them is a good start. The hard work is still up to you, but it is worth it.
Also try this:-
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms184401.aspx
Good advice, I found looking at the videos a great help; http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsmobile/bb495180.aspx
The only problem is, there is too much info available. For 1 solution there 6 ways to create it..For some applications on this site I asked the developer for some help. Some of them are, when online, really helpfull. Look for open source projects, not to old, and download and debug them.

Wanting to learn the basics of programming

Hi guys, now I know this is a BIG request, but I was hoping someone might be interested in helping me begin to learn the different aspects of programming.
Now I know I cant just "hop on the band waggon" I need lots of training before hand in different programing languages, but the one I really want to understand is c# (thats what most windows mobile apps are built on right?)
So are there any really good recomended beginners guide you guys could suggest to me to get me started.
Sorry I must sound like I dont have a clue xD
(well I dont)
Thanks in advance
Hop on the band waggon? I guess you'd rather have to jump in cold water!
I suggest buy a book. If you actually spend the money on it then it's bigger motivation to make something out of it. There's even a book about Windows Mobile .NET programming. What else could you ask for? I don't have the link at hand but you should easily find it on Amazon.
RAMMANN said:
Hop on the band waggon? I guess you'd rather have to jump in cold water!
I suggest buy a book. If you actually spend the money on it then it's bigger motivation to make something out of it. There's even a book about Windows Mobile .NET programming. What else could you ask for? I don't have the link at hand but you should easily find it on Amazon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey thanks for the speedy response,
are you refering to this?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Programming...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264201954&sr=8-1
It looks pretty nice, and will it teach me the basics?
yes, for example. or this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft®-NET-Compact-Framework-Reference/dp/0735617252/ref=pd_sim_b_5
If you are really looking to learn programming, I would suggest against starting with Windows Mobile development. .NET framework for Windows Mobile is very lacking, and in order to do even simplest things you end up using Interops (way of calling native libraries written in C++) or searching/writing libraries on your own.
.NET (and C# by extension) is a multi-platform framework. Start with simple Windows or Web development. Read up on OOP development, find some simple examples online and start a very small, easy to write project.
Once you can write some simple applications for Windows or Web, then you might want to start looking into Windows Mobile development.
Before you start spending money on books try Microsoft's Beginner Developer Learning Centre a go. There are lots of video tutorials which will help you get the basics down http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/dd435692.aspx.
It's not specifically for windows mobile development, but most of what you will learn is transferable.
Once on the website, click "Windows Track" and then "Tier 1", tutorials are available for both C# and VB.NET.
The guy that made the BDLC tutorials for Microsoft also runs http://www.learnvisualstudio.net/, there are a few more free tutorials there too on more advanced topics, a subscription to the site will let you get all the videos.
And look for open source applications like "ReRemind", "Freda" or "RemoteTracker". If you debug these you can learn alot.
ajhvdb said:
And look for open source applications like ... "Freda" ... If you debug these you can learn alot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No No No please don't use Freda as an educational example It's the first .NetCF app I wrote and I really am not very proud of some parts of it. In particular, I only figured out the right pattern to use for 'settings' forms after I had written several already. Some day I will go back and tidy up the code and document it properly. But right now I am still adding features ...
Jim
dont worry, if i look at my old code it's bad too but still works

[Q] Android Development

I'm interested in doing some development for android. I'm just not sure where to start. I see a ton of books on Amazon.
I'm just wondering what would be recommended for an absolute beginner. I know my way around a computer so i don't need it that noob'd down.
I think i would like to play with some apps, and eventually move to Kernels and Roms.
What you you recommend?
Probably the best way to start is to learn Java (the main coding language for apps and userspace), and C (the main languages for kernelspace stuff). After that, messing with the App Inventor would be the place to go.
Search dsixda very helpful thread
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
i was thinking of learning some basics of android app development and coding with a very basic walk through so that i can fully understand what i'm going to be able to use the Java code in particular applications. Would this be a bad strategy.
As a software developer, I would recommend spending a couple weeks getting the basics of Java and object-oriented development down. Do a few sample apps in Java. Once you've done that, try Android. I'm afraid that learning to code, learning Java, and learning to develop for Android all in one may be too much for someone.
You really need to have the basics of Java and object-orientation down, then take on Android as it's not altogether simple, particularly for someone who's just learned to code.
As far as kernel/ROM development, I'm guessing C and Linux shell scripts are the things to learn there. If you want to write Android apps, do as I've mentioned above.

Where is the best place to create an app?

Im wanting to create an app for a company that i work for where is the best place and free to help create one?
Install eclipse and follow all the tutorials on android dev site.
RogerPodacter said:
Install eclipse and follow all the tutorials on android dev site.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://developer.android.com/index.html
If you've done any java work before the process is fairly straight-forward (depending on the complexity of the app you wish to create).
If you want the app to be just semi complex its going to take some time if you are not at all experienced in coding java.
But start out with setting up the sdk and eclipse and then read the documentation on the most common classes like activity, fragments, services, views and so on
One thing that helped me as a novice coder was setting up the layout of your UI. Text views, buttons, etc even if the backend stuff isnt fully functional yet...you can get there in time. Setup all your UI layouts in xml...the tutorials will help.

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